Mounting and framing pictures

Front matter

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Preface

This Handbook contains, in a form convenient for everyday use, a comprehensive digest of the information on Mounting and Framing Pictures, scattered over ten thousand columns of Work — the weekly journal it is my fortune to edit — and supplies concise information on the general principles of the subjects on which it treats

In preparing for publication in book form the mass of relevant matter contained in the volumes of Work, much that was tautological in character had to be rejected. The remainder necessarily had to be arranged anew, altered, and largely re-written. From these causes the contributions of many are so blended that the writings of individuals cannot be distinguished for acknowledgment.

Readers who may desire additional information respecting special details of the matters dealt with in this Handbook, or instruction on kindred subjects, should address a question to Work, so that it may be answered in the columns of that journal.

September, 1899.

P. N HASLUOK.

Contents

CHAP. PAGE

I. — Making Picture Frames ..... 9

II. — Notes on Art Frames 20

Chapter I. Making Picture Frames

Briefly the ideal frame may be held to be one which best suits the picture ; but, keeping this end in view, it may be as beautiful in itself as skill or thought can make it, provided that it never forces itself into the first place, for it must be remembered that pictures are of infinitely more importance than their frames. The binding of a book is of small consequence compared with its contents, yet a tasteful and decorative cover is always desirable. Perfection demands care for the trifles as much as for the important features ; and a regard for beautiful frames by no means implies a neglect of appreciation of their contents. Those persons who recognise the more subtle beauties of form and colour, insist on the frame fulfilling its true purpose.

For making frames from manufactured moulding, the tools required are few, but they should be of good quality. If frame making is to be taken up as a trade, use an iron plane ; failing this, have a good wooden one. It is of the utmost importance that the plane should be kept in good order, nicely ground and sharpened square across. A 14-in. tenon-saw to cut up the moulding will be required ; this must be kept in good cutting order, as, the better it works, the less will the plane be required. A good-sized bench vice, such as mechanics use in a fitter’s shop, will also be necessary. A few sprig-bits of various sizes, a paring chisel, hammer, rule, glue-pot, and pair of pliers, are some more tools it will be necessary to have handy for use.

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Mounting and Framing Pictures .

The mitre-board is used to facilitate the cutting of the moulding to mitre at the corners, and can be made of a piece of deal 2 in. by 2 5 in. and 2 ft. long, nailed down on to a piece of 1-in. deal, 6 in. wide, and the same length. Now make on the top side of the deal two marks bevelling exactly to a mitre, and cut down with the saw intended to be used in cutting up the moulding, thus forming the mitre-cut kerfs shown in Fig. 1. Care must be taken in putting the pieces of wood together that there are no nails where the saw cuts are wanted.

Fig. 1. — Mitre Block.

There are few amateurs who have sufficient frame making to repay the cost of a really good mitre-cutting machine, and the old way of cutting up with the block and rule and pencil often leads to mistakes being made in the size. The mitre cutting block illustrated by Figs.

2 and 3 meets the requirements of speed and safety, while it costs but little, and can be made by the worker himself.

Plane up a piece of clear, dry deal, a (Figs. 2 and 3),

3 in. by 2 in., and 5 ft. long. Plant it on another piece of deal the same length, b, 1 in. thick and in. broad, and nail or screw together through the thin piece into the thick one, keeping them level on the back edge ; the wood is now in the form of the mitre cut, Fig. 1,

Making Picture Frames.

i only much longer. Now carefully set out with square and bevel for the two saw^ cuts to form the mitre at the left-hand end, as illustrated, allowing 9 in. clear between the two cuts. Screws, not nails, should be used in fastening together at this end. When marked for cutting, examine it carefully where the marks are, and if any screws are in the way of the saw cuts, withdraw them ; and previous to cutting put in plenty of screws to keep the pieces firm when cut. Use a sharp, nicely set saw to make the saw cuts, which must be upright and true. Now get four plates of iron or brass, 1| in. broad, and long enough to reach across the strip a when held parallel with the saw cuts ; mark these to the bevel and cut them off a little shorter than the width of a ; drill two holes in each, keeping the holes on the edge away from the cut, and screw them down in position (see c), one on each side of the saw cut. If this is done nicely, the plates will effectively keep the cut from wearing and becoming untrue. O

Now with rule, square, and gauge, mark a measure along the block to the right hand, taking the measure from the saw cut nearest the left-hand end.

As few picture frames are made less than 6 in. or 8 in. long, the measure need not be marked shorter than 6 in. away from the first cut ; run gauge marks along the top edge of the block in exactly the same manner as a joiner’s rule is marked, and then, fastening down a rule, cut in with a square

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Fig. 3.— End View of Mitre Block.

Mounting and Framing Pictures.

and marking knife the eighths, quarters, half-inches, and inches right away to the end of the block. Then cut in the figures with a small chisel and gouge ; glasspaper the block smooth, and give it a few coats of French polish ; when dry, rub along the cuts a little black swarf oft* the oilstone— this will sink into the cuts and figures and make them more legible. Wipe the black off the level surface, and apply more polish till a good surface is obtained. This measure will determine at a glance the length to which a moulding is to be cut. The bottom piece of the base must have a slot d cut in it, running along it within 6 in. of each end. This is cut right through, and is f in. wide ; the best way to cut it out is to run gauge marks up the centre, then bore a 2-in. hole through at each end, and saw the piece right out. This groove or slot is rebated on the bottom side to admit the head of an iron bolt which works in it. This rebate can easily be cut by running a plough groove on the underside with a j-in. iron, and cutting down | in. in depth. This is best done before cutting the slot through.

A block e is now required of the thickness of the back or rule piece and of the width of the rebate formed on the block ; this must be cut to a mitre at one end and fitted to slide along the base level with the rule piece. A i-in. iron bolt must go right through it and through the groove, the head of the bolt sliding in the rebate, and the top of the bolt coming through the sliding block and finishing with a wing-nut and washer, which can be easily tightened with the thumb and finger. This must be so fitted that it will allow the block, whilst close to and level with the rule, to slide easily the whole length of the base. A couple of pieces of rough glasspaper, glued on the underside of the base at each end, will prevent the mitre block moving about when in use.

To use the mitre, it is placed on the bench, and a length of moulding is placed on it and cut to a mitre at the right-hand end ; the sliding block is moved to the size required, its place being seen at a glance. The

Making Picture Frames.

!3 thumbscrew is tightened and the moulding moved up to the block and cut off to a mitre at the other end ; the piece of moulding is again cut in the other saw kerf and placed in position, as many lengths as are required being cut off before the sliding block is moved. It will readily be seen that this is a great saving in time as compared with the old way ; it is also evident that each piece of moulding must be exactly the same length, and that mistakes cannot occur by missing the pencil marks. The illustrations will make everything clear. Fig. 2 is a plan of the mitre block complete, and

Fig. 4. — Shooting Block.

Fig. 3 is an end view, the same parts being similarly lettered in both figures.

The quality of the mitre depends, to a great extent, on the mitre-shoot or shooting-block (Fig. 4). It is preferably made of oak or other hard wood, and has a base 2 ft. 4 in. long and 9 in. wide, planed true on both sides, with a groove ploughed down 3 in. from one edge to a depth of g in. The top piece is 1 in. thick, 6 in. wide, aud 2 ft. 4 in. long. This is trenched, about J in. deep (exactly on the mitre), to receive a triangular piece of oak 1| in. thick screwed from the underside firmly, and placed on the base planed level with the edges of the wood, the edge just covering the edge of the ploughed

Mounting and Framing Pictures.

groove. The place where the plane runs along on the mitre-shoot should be oiled with linseed oil and polished ;

Fig. 5. — Method of Sawing Moulding.

Fig. 6. — Shooting Mitre of Moulding.

this will greatly facilitate the working of the plane. The plane, whether iron or wood, should be preferably a trying plane, not shorter than 22 in., with a cutting iron 2jf in. or 2\ in. wide.

Making Picture Frames.

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In making and putting together a frame, first the required length is sawn off the moulding to a mitre, as shown in Fig. 5. Any knots or flaws in the moulding must be away from the mitres, a knot or shake at the corners being very awkward. See also that the moulding is straight in the length, and always use the straightest parts of the moulding for the longest pieces.

Fig. 7. — Moulding Gripped in Vice.

After cutting off the lengths required, and numbering them to prevent mistakes, shoot the ends on the mitre-shoot, Fig. 6. Holding the moulding firmly in its place with the left hand, and the plane in the right hand, shoot the mitre clean and true, reversing the moulding to do the other end, still keeping it square against the mitre-shoot. If this is not attended to, the frame will not be true, or “twist” when fastened together. The sides must be brought exactly to a length in pairs between the mitres.

Mounting and Framing Pictures.

Then commence to fasten the mitres together. Place a piece of moulding in the vice, protecting its back edge with a piece of cardboard, and allowing the moulding to be gripped across from the back edge to the rebate (see Fig. 7). Screw up the vice as tightly as possible without injuring the moulding ; then taking the other side or end, as the case may be, place it in position exactly as it should be when finished. Slide it

Fig. 8. — Moulding bored with Sprig-bit.

along the mitre towards the back edge about \ in., and carefully bore with a sprig-bit through the first piece and a little way into the other one (see Fig. 8). Now take the moulding apart and give the mitre a smearing of clear, hot, thin glue ; place the pieces in position and drive in the brads carefully, allowing the driving in of the nails to bring the moulding together till it intersects at all points. Fig. 9 shows how to hold the moulding when driving in the nails. Two halves of the frame are made in this way and then placed together ; the

Making Picture Frames.

joints should then match properly without any more planing. The frame should now be nailed together, using exactly the same method as before. All the brads should be punched just below the surface of the moulding, and filled in with putty coloured to match the moulding. It will be found that in actual practice

Fig. 9. — Method of Nailing Moulding Mitres.

narrow moulding is much easier to put together than wide, therefore, those commencing to make frames should use narrow stuff’.

A common method of putting together frames is simply to glue the mouldings and then cramp them in one of the appliances described in Chapter III. In a day or so, when the glue is hard they may be removed

B from the cramps, and strengthened by the insertion of nails or brads, or saw kerfs can be made in the corners as at a (Fig. 10), and pieces of veneer, b, can be glued in. Fig. 11 shows another effective way of securing the corners after they have been glued and cramped.

The frame being now complete, it may be fitted up and the picture inserted. Frames for oil paintings require no glass or back-boards, and the oil painting (when on a stretching frame) is simply sprigged in tlie rebate of the frame, care being taken that the sprigs are put in so that they do not come through to the front of the frame and chip off the composition.

The novice at cutting glass should practise on waste pieces, and note carefully the position in which the diamond cuts best (never going over the same cut twice). In cutting glass for frames, always keep the glass a trifle smaller than the rebate size of the frame.

Picture-back boards are cut in various thicknesses to suit the size and strength of the frames. Thin back-boards can easily be cut to the required size with a chisel, using a rule as a guide for the chisel, and using the chisel the same way as a diamond ; the board will then break clean through the chisel cut. Stouter boards must be cut with a fine saw. The back-boards are fastened in the frames with picture-back

Fig. 10. — Fastening Mitred Corner with Veneer.

Fig. 11. — Method of Screwing Mitres.

sprigs— these are brads without heads ; they are generally pushed in with a pair of pliers (not hammered in), care being taken not to make them bind too tightly on the back, or the glass may break.

Place the picture to be framed under the glass, which should have been thoroughly cleaned. Mark off any surplus mount with pencil, and then cut it away. Place the glass in the frame, then the picture face to the glass, and then the back-board. Put in sufficient sprigs to hold in the back, and then examine the picture to see that there is no dust, etc., between the picture and the glass. If satisfactory, put in sufficient sprigs to keep it flat in position. As a preventative of dust, smoke, and to some extent of damp, after the glass is in the rebate, strips of paper about f in. wide should be glued in round the rebate. The backs of the frames are covered with strong brown paper. To affix this, damp it with a sponge and water, and glue round the edge of the frame, place it on the paper, and rub well down on the edge ; trim off the surplus paper with a sharp chisel or knife, and it will dry as tight as a drum. All that remains to be done now is to screw in rings, taking care, in the case of thin frames, not to screw them right through.

Chapter II. Notes On Art Frames

There are many frames whose simple ornamentation is truly artistic, and well within the amateur’s scope. A few notes on some of these may not be out of place.

A frame made of deal 6 in. wide, covered with common sacking left plain, or dyed a dull green or peacock-blue, has found many admirers. The pictures in

Fig. 12. — Frame made of Common Sacking.

such are surrounded by a gilt moulding about £ in. to 1 in. wide. If the whole moulding and sacking — which may be, for large pictures, a foot wide — is gilded in one shade of gold, the result is really effective (see Fig. 12).

A frame of plain, flat oak, gilded to show the grain of the wood, with a row of brass-headed nails about a fifth of its width from its edge, or having a moulding inserted to simulate nail heads, looks very well (see Fig. 13).

The frame in Fig. 14 is most effective for figure

Notes on Art Frames.

subjects, and is very simply made. The twin pilasters are merely ordinary turned work, cut in halves, and the mouldings and fillets are also simple. The frame may be finished in pure white enamel, or, if of oak, may be

Fig. 13. — Corner of Flat Wood Frame.

coated with bronze powder, or, if in deal, with the usual plaster and gold-leaf finish. Of course, the frame may

Fig. 14. — Frame with Turned Pilasters.

be enriched by lincrusta frieze or other similar decoration. In this and other frames to be described, when a flat surface with low relief ornament is needed, lincrusta is admirable, being inexpensive, easily worked, and a capital surface for after decoration.

Fig. 15 represents a white moulded frame, with an inner frame also white, the space between the two being filled with monochrome paper of quiet design, such as is seen on the fly leaves of books. Richer mouldings and lincrusta, or Japanese leather paper sub-

Fig. 16. — Memorial Tablet Frame.

stituted for the white and monochrome paper, make a useful frame particularly adapted to receive drawings in water colour.

Notes on Art Frames.

Figs. 17 and 18. — Memorial Tablet Frames.

Frames after the fashion of the memorial tablets in churches of the Wren period, are shown by Figs. 16, 17, and 18. These, either finished in white, worked in dark rich polished woods, or solidly gilt, have a pleasing appearance.

A suggestion for a triple frame in simple joinery and fretwork is given in Fig. 19. If worked in black and gold, or all black, it would balance the overmantel in a small room, or harmonise with the now popular art furniture.

The frame (Fig. 20) is a pleasant bit of wall decoration,

Notes on Art Frames.

yet in no way detrimental to the' picture it encases. It may be entirely gilded, but it would look better with

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Fig. 20. — Gilt Frame with Fretwork Strips.

the oak fretwork strips and the flat oak mount gilded, and the framework finished in black.

Fig. 21 shows a frame which is made of wTood rough

Mounting and Framing Pictures.

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Fig-. 22. — Frame with Grooved Wood Panel.

Fig. 23.— Butt- jointed Frame of Reeded Wood,

Atotes on Art Frames.

as it leaves the saw, gilded with gold leaf, and adorned with a rich moulding around the opening for the picture.

The surface of the wood bevels outwards — that is, the inside edge is thicker than the outside.

Fig. 22 is a rough sketch of a frame that may suit some tastes. It encloses a panel grooved into the frame, like a drawer bottom, for instance. The opening for the picture is bordered by a beading of plain square wood, the glass being either rabbeted into this or fixed with tiny wood beads. The sides of the frame are narrow, the top somewhat wider, but not so deep at the bottom.

The panel may be simply of plain wood, ploughed with square parallel grooves running vertically, or it may be covered with silk or brocade. The whole of the framing is gilded with a uniform shade of gold, and the effect is exceedingly good. The grooves might with advantage be nearer together than in the sketch.

Notes on Art Frames.

In Fig. 23 a suggestion for using reeded wood with out mitres is given. Its effect is simple and pleasing.

In Fig. 2'4 a simple frame with mouldings is shown, parts of two ordinary turned balusters adding much to the effect. The turned work is sawn in half,

L^. WiUCl i ^ fS ,-i- ft ^ A ^ f n y. if .-j. ft

of Chequered

Frame. Fig. 27. — Corner of Striped Frame.

and is applied pilaster fashion to the skeleton framework. In Fig. 25 is shown a frame with its panel covered with Japanese leather paper, the frame itself being gilded to the exact shade to match, or, if that is not possible, -the whole may be bronze-powdered to be in harmony. These frames look extremely well in use, in spite of their rough crudeness. They also look

Fig. 28.— Section of Striped Frame.

well with a white moulding, and a low monochrome paper, or white brocaded silk in place of gold ; photographs or etchings might be framed in this fashion, when a gold frame would probably overweigh a monochrome picture.

Fig. 26 shows a corner of a Japanese frame, which is just a white cardboard French mount for the etching,

Mounting and Framing Pictures.

Fig-. 29.— Sixteenth-century Carved Frame.

and has no inner panel ; the moulding is inlaid with veneer in black and white chequer pattern.

Fig. 30— Section of Sixteenth-century Carved Frame.

In Fig. 27 is seen a portion of a frame which may be painted white, and be striped with lines hand-painted in

Notes on Art Frames.

neutral tint, all going vertically as indicated ; this also has a white cardboard mount. A section of the moulding is shown by Fig. 28. The mouldings of these last frames should be not more than j in. wide.

Fig. 29 shows a frame executed in oak and carved in the Renaissance style, or what passed for such in the sixteenth century in England. Its exterior measurements are 2 ft. 6 in. wide, and 3 ft. high. A stout board about 1 in. thick forms its centre panel ; it may be plain, and surrounded by a series of plain mouldings, worke i from solid stuff 2 in. or 2^ in. in thickness, mitred at the corner. The exterior ornamental work is carved from 1-in. or Ij-in. material, formed in four pieces— top, bottom and sides— fastened upon the exterior edge of the thicker surrounding mouldings of the tablet and slightly set back from the front plane of the most projecting moulding. This will be better understood by referring to the section shown in Fig 30, a being the external ornamental portion, b the thicker moulding surrounding the central panel c.

The carving is not perforated, but the background, as it were, of the ornament is sunk to about half the thickness of the stuff. The raised portion fnay, if desired, be gilded, whilst the background may be black, white, or a pale green, to suit individual taste.

Chapter III. Picture Frame Cramps

In Chapter I. the use of cramps in putting together frames was briefly mentioned, but nothing was said to aid the worker in the choice of one. During the last few years scores of cramps have been put upon the market, and, therefore, in selecting from so many, the novice meets with much difficulty. It is intended to give in this chapter brief descriptions of a few cramps.

Fig. 38.- Ratchet Wheel of Cramp.

which are, with but one exception, home-made ; their reliability has been proved by experience.

In the cramp shown by Fig. 31 (p. 33), a handle and ratchet arrangement enables sufficient tension to be put on the encircling string to draw the mitres together. The illustration shows the cramp in use ; the thick black line surrounding the frame is the string or catgut. In making this cramp, a piece of ash or beech, in. by 2£ in. by li in., is cut with a slot 3j in. long by 1 in wide, as shown in Fig. 31. The handle should be turned as in Fig. 32 (p. 34), the part s being left square to fit

Picture Frame Cramps.

the hole in the ratchet wheel, Fig. 33 (p. 32). The shank of the handle is T9g in. in diameter, and turns freely in the hole in the block. A brass plate (Fig. 34), in. c

Mounting a\d Framing Pictures thick, is let in the thickness of and screwed to the block ; it acts as a washer-plate to take the wear of the retaining screw s (Fig. 35). A plate (Fig. 36) to take the wear of the ratchet wrheel is fitted to the top of the block at p (Fig. 31).

The ratchet wheel (Fig. 33, p. 32), which is draw n full size, is of brass J in. thick. The brass is held in a vice whilst each tooth is filed out. The square hole for the shank is made by first drilling a in. hole and then filing the square corners. When this is finished, slip it on the square shank, place the handle in the block, and drive in the retaining screwr s (Fig. 35), which should fit loosely in the plate and block, but tightly in the handle shank.

A paw l (Fig. 37) is of brass i in. thick and fixed with a button - head screw’. This locks the ratchet wheel when in use. The string should be fairly thick and stranded tightly together, so that it does not stretch ; a piece of stranded wire is preferable. Place the string on the shank, passing each end through the hole in the block, and knot it together, leaving sufficient to surround the picture frame. Four corner pieces of tin (see Fig. 38) prevent the string cutting into the moulding, a small piece of solder be

Picture Frame Cramps.

(s, Fig. 38) being dropped on each corner and a shallow groove filed in it to keep the string in position. When using the cramp, put the string in the centre

Fig. 34. — Retaining Plate of Cramp Screw.

Fig. 36. — Ratchet - wheel Wearing Plate.

Fig. 35. — Detail of Shank.

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Fig. 38. — Corner Clips of Cramp

Fig. 37. — Pawl of

Ratchet Cramp.

of the frame, so as to get an even pull. Turn the handle, and the string will commence to wind round the shank, consequently tightening round the frame and drawing the mitres together. It can be left on the frame whilst the nails or screws are driven in ; the corner clips, lapping only i in., do not interfere with this, operation.

A little linseed oil rubbed over the woodwork occasionally will keep it in good condition.

With the cramp illustrated by Fig. 39 a string is also used. Get a piece of birch or any other hard wood about i

Picture Frame Cramps.

1 in. square, mark off four pieces each £ in. thick ; then make four holes slantways through the corner (as shown in Fig. 40), saw off the four pieces, and shape them, as in Fig. 41 . Take a square piece out of

Fig. 40. — Block for Making Cramp Fig. 41. — Corner Corner Pieces. Piece of Cramp.

the corner of each (a, Fig. 41), and shape the holes so that a cord will pass through easily (b, Fig. 41). A wooden screw, as illustrated, will be required. Fig. 39, a, is a piece of £-in. birch 2 in. by l£ in. In the centre is a hole half-way through, into which the point of the screw fits, and on either side there is a hole for the cord to pass through, b, Fig. 39, is a piece of the same size to form the nut of the screw, having two holes for the cord as in the other piece. Pass a strong cord (not too thick), having a knot on one end, through the holes, beginning at b and finishing at 8. In using this cramp, lay the glued frame in position on a table ; place one of the little blocks on each corner, and then draw the cord tight, and put a running knot at 8, Fig. 39. The cramp may then be screwed up.

Taken in connection with the cramp just described, that shown at Fig. 42 may easily be understood. It differs from the last one merely in the fact that, instead of a screw being used to tighten the string, the work is performed by the piece of wood, d.

The advantage of using the iron angle-piece, Fig. 43, instead of a wooden one, is that the corners of the pic-

Fig. 44. — Section of Screw Cramp.

ture frame can be nailed when the cramp is on. To make it, four pieces of hoop-iron are required about 42 in. long by £ in. wide, similar to that shown in the illustration, which is an isometric view of one of the angle-pieces. These are bent to right angles, so as to fit the corners of the frame. Cut two slots in each £ in. long and £ in. 'from the angle, through which nails may be driven to secure the corners of the frame. Half an